Sometimes willpower is a lot like the television remote control—hard to find just when you want it most. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But there are ways to increase your willpower.

    *Don't try to change your economic situation, win a promotion or lose weight all on the same morning. Set one clear, specific goal and make a realistic plan to achieve. Extra willpower sometimes requires extra energy, so don't spread yourself too thin. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    *Whatever your goal is, don't expect to achieve it overnight,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you are trying to kick a coffee habit, start by replacing your morning cup of coffee with a glass of water, instead of promising never to drink coffee again. Congratulate yourself on the small achievements. These successes help your willpower grow.

    *{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Ask friends, family or colleagues for assistance and tell them exactly how they can help. If your credit card bills have risen, for instance, let friends know that you are cutting back on expenses. Suggest having a common dinner instead of meeting at an expensive restaurant. Find a support group or organization related to your goal and attend their meetings. You can get valuable advice, understanding and information.

    *If possible, change your environment to encourage positive behavior. Want to get in shape? Keep an extra set of workout clothes in your office as a reminder to stop by the gym on the way home. Quitting smoking?{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Singapore is building an airport where indoor trees, waterfalls and a 'rain vortex' sit alongside check-in queues, waiting rooms and baggage carousels(传送带).

    Where once sat a car park, there will soon be thousands of trees and plants across 22,000 square metres of landscaped indoor parklands. This will be joined by a 40m-high indoor waterfall, expected to be the world's tallest. These are the plans for the new 3.5 hectare 'Jewel' development at Singapore's Changi Airport, scheduled to open in 2018; a five-story, 134,000 square metre complex, mixing natural outdoor plants with modern airport facilities.

    “The aim behind the introduction of such lush(茂盛的) landscaping is purely to provide all visitors with a memorable experience, one where they are surrounded by nature and greenery,”says Philip Yim, Chief Executive Officer of Jewel Changi Airport Development.

    Promised sustainability（持续性） measures include “extensive usage of photovoltaic panels（光电板）”to produce renewable energy, as well as encouraging the use of natural lighting and a “high efficiency” air-conditioning system.

    The indoor waterfall, named the “Rain Vortex”, will make use of special lighting effects to change at night into what is promised to be a dramatic light and sound show. “The Rain Vortex is one example of how sustainable design plays an important role in the planning of the attraction,” says Yim. 'In the event of a rain storm, the power of the rain water will flow naturally through the oculus. The excess rain water collected will be used for irrigation of the landscaping at Jewel.'

    Yim quotes the popular reputation Singapore enjoys as “the garden city”, where greenery is recognised as an essential part of the urban landscape, an attractive image which clearly inspires Jewel's design.

    However, it remains to be seen whether, beyond the aesthetic (审美的) appeal, Jewel can add genuine environmental things to something as un-environmental as an international airport.

    Cancer researchers urged people on Wednesday to take more vitamin D to lower risk of cancer, saying studies showed a clear link. “Our suggestion is for people to increase their intake, through diet or a vitamin supplement. ” Dr.Cedric Garland said in a telephone interview.

    Garland's research team reviewed 63 studies, including several large long-term ones, on the relationship between vitamin D and certain types of cancer worldwide between 1966 and 2004.

    “There's nothing that has this ability to prevent cancer,” he said, urging governments and public health officials to do more to fortify foods with vitamin D. Garland is part of a University of California at San Diego Moores Cancer Center team that published its findings this week online in the American Journal of Public Health. Vitamin D is found in milk, as well as in some fortified orange juice, yogurt and cheeses, usually at around 100 international units(IU) a serving. People might want to consider a vitamin supplement to raise their intake to 1000 IUs per day, Garland said, adding that it was well within the safety guidelines established by the National Academy of Sciences.

    The authors said that taking more vitamin D could be especially important for people living in northern areas, which receive less vitamin D from sunshine.

    African Americans, who don't produce as much of the vitamin because of their skin colour, could also benefit significantly from a higher intake, the authors said.

    Nov. 21 is World Hello Day. It began back in the 1970s as part of an effort to make the world more peaceful. It was created by the United Nations just after the war between Israel and Egypt in 1973. The philosophy (理念) behind it is: Say “Hello” and stop war.

    It sounds like a fine idea, but most of us know that simply saying “Hello” won't bring about world peace. Still, on a smaller range, the simple act of saying hello to someone can make a lot of difference.

    This might not be obvious. After all, it's such a casual thing and requires so little effort. You raise your head to someone as you pass by them in the school corridor (走廊), say “Hello' then it's over.

    Although we might not realize it, a small thing like a greeting can mean a lot to a person. Many people are lonely because they're shy. They find it difficult to communicate with people, even though they want lo. It leads to them feeling cut off.

    On this basis, maybe it's a good idea, not just on Nov. 21, but every day, to remember to say “Hello” to as many people as we can. The stranger who hears your greeting may secretly smile in their heart. You might even make their day.

    Greeting other people is the easiest way to be polite. Politeness is the way we individual humans link up with the rest of the human world outside of our circles of family and friends. Politeness is one of the aspects of culture that make us a society rather than just many individuals living in the same space.

    No one said it better than the French author Joseph Joubert: “Politeness is the flower of humanity''. A “Hello” to a stranger is a small thing, and often neglected (忽视), but through it we can make the world better for another person.

    Why do you go to the library? For books, yes--but you like books because they tell stories. You hope to get lost in a story or be transported into someone else's life. At one type of library, you can do just that--even though there's not a single book.

    At a Human Library, instead of books, you can “borrow” people. Individuals volunteer as human “books” and participants in the event can “read” the book--meaning they would have a one-on-one conversation with the volunteer and share in a dialogue about that individual's experience. “Books” are volunteers from all walks of life who have experienced discrimination (歧视) based on race, religion, class, gender identity, age, lifestyle choices, disability and other aspects of their life

    For a certain amount of time, you can ask them questions and listen to their stories, which are as fascinating and as attractive as any you can find in a book. Many of the stories have to do with some kind of stereotype. You can speak with a refugee (难民), a soldier suffering from PTSD, a homeless person or a woman living with HIV. The Human Library encourages people to challenge their own long-held beliefs-to truly get to know, and learn from someone they might otherwise make a quick judgment about.

    According to its website, the Human Library is “a place where difficult questions are expected, appreciated and answered.” It provides the opportunity for the community to share and understand the experiences of others in their community.

    The Human Library Organization came to be in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2000. Ronni Abergel, his brother Dany, and some colleagues hosted a four-day event during a major Northern European festival, hoping to raise awareness about violence among youth. After the success of this event, Abergel founded the Human Library Organization, which has been growing ever since.

    Though there are a few permanent human libraries, most aren't places at all, but events. Though many do take place at physical libraries, you don't need a library card—anyone can come and be part of the experience. There have been human library events all over the globe, in universities and in pubs, from Chicago to Tunis to Edinburgh to San Antonio.

The stories these "books" tell range from fascinating to heartbreaking and everything in between. And that's the very point of the organization--to prove that no person can be summed up in just one word. It seeks to show people that you truly can't judge a book by its cover—or by its title or label.

Swimming and English Learning

    Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Yes? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I'm afraid you'll never learn to swim just by reading books about swimming or looking at others swimming. It's the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice.

    Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. The children in English-speaking countries first listen to others. Then they try to imitate and speak. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn't matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word.

    Somebody may be a good listener. But he dare not speak. He's afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don't be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone so long as he knows English. Whether you know him or not is not important when there's nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It's interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you'll make.

    Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we're interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is the most important.

    Keep writing English diaries. We can also write English articles. You may even post them to English magazines. Don't be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success.

    Easier said than done. Well, let's do more practice from now on. I'm sure you'll learn English well in this way.